The Office of Disability Access (ODA) receives hundreds of requests for note-takers each semester. As a peer note-taker, you can positively impact your classmates and your own academic performance. Refine your academic skills and serve fellow students as a peer note-taker!

What Does a Note-Taker Do?
Notetakers share their lecture notes with a classmate.  Notes provided by peer note-takers supplement or provide notes for those who are unable to take notes during class. Notetakers do not provide any academic assistance or advantage for those who use the service. A note-taker is not a tutor, interpreter, or reader/writer. Every semester, ODA is seeking students who take thorough, clear notes, record important course content, and are willing to help other students have equal access to the course material. It is rewarding and convenient to be a peer note-taker.  Notes can be uploaded to ODA's convenient online portal at any time. Not all courses qualify for the note-taking accommodation; courses that do not occur in real-time or have no lecture/notes component do not qualify for notes, including online-only, non-lecture courses, etc. Please contact ODA if you have questions about which courses qualify for note-taking.

Do you think you would make a good note-taker? Read more to see if you would enjoy this position!

Why Do Students Need Note-Takers?
ODA facilitates access to note-taking accommodations for students with documented disabilities.  Eligible students have disabilities that may impact their ability to take notes, due to a variety of reasons: it may be a physical (limited use of hands, low vision, interacting with a sign language interpreter, etc.) or non-physical reason (difficulty listening and writing at the same time, difficulty transcribing verbal information).By being a note-taker you are making a commitment to ODA to assist in providing required accommodations. More importantly, you make a commitment to the student for whom you are taking notes. Your notes are a vital component of a fellow student's academic success.

How to Get Started
To qualify to become a peer note-taker, you must be a current UNT student, who is currently enrolled in a class that requires a note taker.

You may become involved in the note taker program in a variety of ways:

  • You receive an email from the Note-taking Coordinator in the ODA, explaining that you have a student registered with ODA in your course.
  • You receive a message from a fellow student or instructor, requesting a volunteer.
  • You elect to take notes for ODA or a particular student (availability based on your current schedule & note taker demand).
  • If you wish to participate, please see these instructions. If you have any questions or concerns, please email Notes.ODA@unt.edu.

Our staff will notify you via UNT email if you have been matched with a note-taking assignment. You will be instructed to log into our online portal, AIM, and sign a note-taker agreement acknowledgment. 

How Does Note Taking Work?

  • Take notes as usual during class. Be sure to record all pertinent content.
  • Upload notes to the AIM database within 24 hours of the end of each class session.
  • If other arrangements have been made to deliver notes to the student, please email Notes.ODA@unt.edu with this information.
  • If you are unable to attend a specific class, please email both your Professor and Notes.ODA@unt.edu so that we can work on getting a substitute note-taker for that class period.
  • If you are unable to continue taking notes at any time, please email Notes.ODA@unt.edu so that we can work on finding a replacement note-taker.
  • At the end of the semester, you will receive an email with a commendation letter, thanking you for serving as a volunteer note-taker this semester. It will state the number of volunteer hours you earned.
     

Note-Taker Responsibilities
If you become aware of the student with the disability's name, maintain a respectful and professional relationship with the student.

  • Respect the student's right to privacy by keeping names confidential.
  • Attend all class sessions.
  • In the event a note-taker must be absent from class: Note-takers are required to make arrangements for a substitute note-taker, or for notifying their Professor and the Notetaking Coordinator.
  • If no notes are taken in class, upload a document stating there were no notes on [day] for [course].
  • Maintain academic integrity and refrain from sharing copies of notes with other students.
  • Correspond with the ODA using UNT email addresses only.
  • Notify ODA immediately of any note-taking concerns, absences from class, or changes in your class schedule.


Note-Taking Benefits

  • Community Service Hours
  • Volunteer note-takers can receive community service hours from ODA, which may qualify certain academic or extracurricular program requirements. At the end of the semester, you may request to receive a digital copy or pick up a hard copy of a letter verifying your volunteer hours.

Enhance Your Résumé

Example Résumé Statement:
Volunteer Note-Taker (Fall 2018-Spring 2018)
University of North Texas, Denton Campus, Office of Disability Access
Provided detailed class notes for qualified students registered with the Office of Disability Access. [# weeks or semesters] of accommodation note-taking service were completed.

Tips for Successful Peer Notetakers

Basic Tips

  • Attend all class sessions, and arrange for a substitute if you will be absent.
  • Sit near the front of the classroom/near the instructor.
  • Be an active listener.
     

Taking Notes

  • Record the date and class on the top of the first page of notes.
  • Put the class session date and course number on the first page.
  • Make notes complete and clear enough to understand when you come back to them.
  • Explain all abbreviations or acronyms when using them for the first time.
  • Note important ideas, terms, and concepts.
  • Ask questions about topics that need more clarification.
  • Indicate uncertainty about any content with a question mark.


Include in Your Notes:

  • Anything written/typed on the board or presented on PowerPoint or projector. (if PowerPoint slides are provided by the instructor, you do not have to repeat content.)
  • Any information that is repeated or emphasized by the instructor, especially when preceded by key phrases (“finally,” “remember,” “most important,” “this will be on the exam,” etc.)
  • Numbered or listed items, procedures, examples, etc.
  • Important or new terms, definitions, and examples.
  • References to your textbook (page numbers, exercises, graphics, tables, etc.) or other reference materials
  • Pertinent comments made by your instructor or classmates during discussions.
  • If you aren't able to keep up with a fast-paced lecture, just write down key nouns, verbs, dates, etc.
  • Review your notes and fill in any gaps in concepts or content.
  • Upload your notes within 24 hours of the end of the class session.

Thank you for your interest in the peer note taker program! Please contact us if you are interested, or if you have any questions or concerns at Notes.ODA@unt.edu.